Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Student Voice Entry Title: Junior breaks longstanding 1977 track and field record Entry Credit: Charlie Swanson Judge Comment: An enjoyable portrait of an interesting athlete. I would caution the writer as to the use of cliches — a professuional writer should use them only ironically or for some other special effect, not straightforwardly. Otherwise this is a fine a piece, if a little thinly reported.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: The Clarion Entry Title: Worth the wait Entry Credit: Kelly Feng Judge Comment: Just highly competent and readable, a meat-and-potatoes sports story that could probably run anywhere.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: College Days Entry Title: A legacy of alumni support Entry Credit: Mikayla Barnes Judge Comment: I very much enjoyed this piece, which — on another day, with the judge in another mood — could have come first.
Competition Comment: It is both encouraging (and a little disappointing) that the entries all consisted of solid, workman-like pieces of craft that only the meanest editor could find serious fault with. I wish something had jumped out at me but maybe it’s the nature of the category. All the entries are sturdy, which suggests the instruction and editing is of high quality. Much better than other student contests I’ve judged.
